Going home with a gallbladder drain (cholecystostomy drain)

You have been sent home with a gallbladder drain. This leaflet explains the following.

• What a gallbladder drain is.

• How to look after the drain at home.

• How to record how much fluid is drained.

• What happens at your follow-up appointment.

We hope this leaflet answers some of the questions you may have. If you have any further questions or concerns, please speak to a member of your healthcare team.

What is a gallbladder drain?

A gallbladder drain is a thin tube that lets unwanted fluid or bile out of your body. This fluid will need to be drained to reduce your risk of infection and of you becoming generally unwell.

A dressing will hold the drain in place. Keep this dressing clean and dry at all times to help reduce the risk of infection.

Will I feel any pain?

You may feel some discomfort around your drain site. Taking general painkillers (such as paracetamol) should help to control this.

How do I look after my drain at home?

• Before leaving hospital, one of the nursing staff should empty your drain. They will explain to you how to open and close the tap on the drainage bag. You will need to measure how much fluid comes into the drain each day.

• It is important that you keep your dressing clean and dry. 

• You will need to have the dressing changed at least once a week, along with changing the drain bag once a week. This needs to be arranged at the Surgical Same Day Emergency Care unit (SSDEC). If we have not arranged this before you leave hospital, please call 01843 235143 (direct line) to arrange an appointment.

• Once you have had the dressing and bag changed, the main dressing can be covered with a waterproof dressing. This is so you can shower or wash. We do not recommend you cover yourself in water, so where possible avoid baths or swimming. 

  You will need to have the dressing changed as soon as possible, if:

  • it becomes wet

  • fluid soaks into it

  Even if this if sooner than the planned weekly change. 

• Before changing the drain bag, the nurse or staff member will need to clamp the drain. They do this by:

  • turning the three way tap to the off-to-the-patient position

  • removing the bag and replacing it with a new one

  • re-opening the tap  

Can I eat and drink as normal at home?

Whilst at home follow the dietary advice your clinical team gave you. This will help prevent further flare-ups at home. For patients with gallbladder issues, this usually involves following a low-fat diet.

How do I keep a record of how much fluid is drained?

It is important that when you are at home you keep a record of how much fluid is draining each day. You can record the amount at any time of the day, but you should start at the same time each day. 

Note the amount on the drain chart below. When you come to the hospital for your appointment, please bring this record with you. 

What happens next?

Once the drain has been in for four weeks, we will invite you to the SSDEC unit for a review. 

At the review your will have an ultrasound of your gallbladder. If all is well, and the output from the drain has reduced to less than 100 millilitres per day, we may consider a trial with the drain ‘clamped’. This means turning the tap off, so that fluid no longer drains into the bag, which helps us to see if your gallbladder is draining normally. 

We aim to keep the drain in and clamped for two more weeks. If the drain is successfully clamped, the clinical team may consider removing the drain after the two-week trial. If we do clamp your drain, and you start to experience pain, it is important that you contact the SSDEC. They will help you with what to do next.

Some patients may need to keep the drain in for longer, for example until they have an operation. Others may need to keep their drain in indefinitely.

What complications should I look for?

If you have any of the symptoms listed below, you must contact your GP straightaway. If they feel you should be seen by someone from the surgical team at the hospital, they may ask you to go to your nearest hospital.

• Fever (high temperature)

• Pain

• Nausea (feeling sick)

• Feeling generally unwell

• Nothing is draining into the bag

What do I do if my drain falls out?

If your drain falls out, please contact the Surgical SDEC.

Contact details

If you have any questions about your drain, please contact us on one of the numbers listed below.

• SSDEC, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (QEQM) Hospital, Margate
  Telephone: 01843 235143 (direct line)

• SSDEC, William Harvey Hospital, Ashford
  Telephone: 01233 633331 extension 723-4284

Drain Chart

Please give details of any signs of the drain leaking. Include date, time, and what you were doing when this happened.

What do you think of this leaflet?

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• Patient Voice Team
  Telephone: 01227 868605
  Email